kindles on the mind

Amazon, of course

This is a slight correction on prices because I forgot to be specific on prices.

Kindle (basic) - Wi-FI, 2GB storage, 1 month battery life, no keyboard, no touchscreen, 6 inch display - 79.00 (with special offers), 109.00 (without special offers)
Kindle Touch - (Wi-Fi, 4GB storage, 2 months battery life, touchscreen, 6 inch display) - 99.00, 139.00
Kindle Touch 3G - (Free 3G/WiFi, 4GB storage, 2 months battery life, touchscreen, 6 inch display) - 149.00, 189.00
Kindle Keyboard - (WiFi, 4GB storage, 2 months battery life, keyboard, 6 inch display) - 99.00, 139.00
Kindle Keyboard 3G - (Free 3G/WiFi, 4GB storage, 2 months battery life, keyboard) - 139.00, 189.00 <--this is what I have now!
Kindle DX - (3G, 4GB storage, 3 weeks battery life, keyboard, 9.7 inch display) - 379.00
Kindle Fire - (WiFi, 8GB storage, 8 hours, touchscreen, 7 inch display, color) - 199.00

Special offers are, quoted from Amazon:

Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers
You'll receive special offers and sponsored screensavers directly on your Kindle Touch. Examples of past special offers include:

$10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
Save up to $500 off Amazon's already low prices on select HDTVs
$1 for a Kindle book, choose from thousands of books

Your offers display on your Kindle Touch's screensaver and on the bottom of the home screen—they don't interrupt reading. You have control over your offers experience: you can set your personal Kindle Screensaver Preferences to give us hints on the style and types of sponsored screensavers you'd like to see.

Okay, but not my particular concern, I was just amused to realize how they'd laddered up the pricing so neatly it's like a elegant slippery slope.

Kindle as Tablet

This is how well Amazon did it's advertising work; despite multiple pictures, web browsing, apps, and talk of their new browser (not to mention I recognized from the pictures the Android home screen's general feeling), I didn't actually realize it was, in fact, an Android tablet. I took a lot of reviewers (ie, people comparing it to iPad portentously) for that entire aspect to hit me. I think e-reader, while also thinking, I can watch movies on that!

Okay, the thing is, despite loving the idea of having a tablet, and wanting one, and mooning for one, I still bought, so far, a total of three Kindles (one for child, second for me when first was sat upon by niece). 4G memory on a Kindle is huge, as books measured in the KB and the MB, not the GB. Whereas 16G on an iPad was insulting; that's no memory at all! Because it's a tablet, but the thing is, I think of a tablet like a second computer (reason ten thousand me and the netbook do not get along) because it was introduced to me as a computer and no matter how much I know it's not, I keep expecting it to be. Hence, 16G. I use more than that just for my music. My bluray rips take up twice that!

...8G on an ereader! That's huge! And in color! And I can watch movies on my ereader! Like a bonus! Because, ereaders are not computers, Kindle Fire is an ereader, and books, you see, are very small. And who puts movies on their ereader? That's just a bonus.

Okay, I'm impressed with Amazon. I just bought a tablet and think 8G is like infinite space. Well done, Kindle. I totally did not see that coming.

Comments

[malnpudl]

FWIW, I got the "special offers" version of the 3G Kindle early this year, and I find the ads entirely inoffensive and occasionally welcome. They're mostly Amazon marketing its own products, which is clever, really, and I've used them to get some $1 ebooks (each marked down at least $4 and sometimes as much as $9). Some are from other vendors, but nothing I've found annoying. They're easy to ignore, and I'm happy to have chosen this option and saved some cash.

The Kindle Fire does look crazy cool, but it really is a whole 'nother critter, isn't it?

[seperis]

...ooh, actual legitimate, useful advertisements for things you are in the market to buy, and even on the device that can be used for them. It's like advertising became all--useful to consumers and stuff.

That does sound neat. Especially the dollar ebooks alerts.

[concinnity]

So on my Twitter people are talking about getting the Fire, rooting it, and installing Android. What do you think?

[seperis]

Amazon isn't actively working against hackers by their own admission. This one, I definitely won't (but boy will I be following along with that), but depending on how well it works and if it does have potential as a tablet only, I might get another one and try it on that. especially if the rumors about a 10inch or 3G one coming out if this one does well are true. At current size Kindle's my perfect ereader, but bigger, I might feel experimental.

Though looking at the Kindle DX, a bigger Fire might have a serious jump in price, so....maybe?

[concinnity]

Interesting. I'll go check that out, thanks!

[cesare]

Whereas every time a new tablet comes out, I want to kick things because it doesn't have a Pixel Qi or Mirasol screen. I've literally been waiting years and years for something decent to come out with a sunlight-readable color screen. Since Apple touts their own display tech as a big deal, I know they're not likely to switch; I was pinning some hopes on another big market leader, like Amazon, at least offering a sunlight-readable screen as an option. Such a huge missed opportunity.

[libitina]

Article/video about the Kindle's operating system: silk

[chosenfire28.livejournal.com]

I have a Kindle 3 and I absolutely adore it (apparently it would be the Kindle keyboard now). But I saw all their new little treats and I want the Fire so bad, its so pretty and shiny and the ability to check email on it is a huge bonus.

I think they are doing an amazing job with all their products, and right in time for holiday season lol.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I have that one too! I love my Kindle. I don't leave home without it. Literally.

[chosenfire28.livejournal.com]

LOL! me neither, mine is always within reach, right now its right beside me charging. It fits perfectly into my purse. I have a ridiculous amount of love for my Kindle :D (and I've talked 4 people so far into getting one)

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I have become a walking advertisement, I swear. I wave it around all "MY LIFE IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT IT". I am more likely to remeber to take my Kindle to work than my ID, it's like breathing.

A part of me is also amused that a lot of the reviewers are like "But it is too small!" and ignore that's not a bug, but a feature. I can hold and use it with one hand. And it's not a production to get it out or quickly put it up when I'm done with it because of awkwardly large size.

I cannot believe we have to wait for November. *blank*

[chosenfire28.livejournal.com]

I tell everyone about mine too. I usually have it out (in the car, at an office, sitting waiting anywhere, in line, anywhere) and anytime anyone asks I'm like shark smelling blood, I launch into why its the best thing to ever exist, ever.

I just love so much that I can put fics on it as well, AO3 is a beautiful place for its downloading options.

I get annoyed with people who put it down because its not an ipad when what they really want is an ipad. Its an ereader and the most amazing ereader ever.

ohhh and the Kindle vs Nook debates, I've gotten involved in those as well lol, I am Team Kindle all the way.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*dies*

I don't get the Kindle versus iPad debates. My Kindle is a book; it fits in one hand, it's light enough to hold or carry in one hand, and I literally only need one hand to read it comfortably.

It hit me also that Amazon hit a true virgin market; a lot of people who wanted an ereader only and had no interest in further functionality and therefore missed the addiction of apps. The Kindle Fire may (they'll note suspiciously) have mentioned these "apps" but it's called an ereader and in color! For magazines or comics or manga or whatever! And they will buy, and then one day, they will be curious (on their ereader) about these apps they see and...boom. New market.

*glee*

[amireal.livejournal.com]

Occasionally I get someone who tries to tell me the iPad is way better than the kindle and I'm like "that'd be more relevant if they were meant to do the same things!" hiya! ninja logic!

[seperis.livejournal.com]

*grins* I like the "but you can read books on ipad!" Which then--699 ereader or 189 ereader? Hmm, let me think..... And I can carry, hold, and read my kindle in one hand, while lying down, or in any position I can read a book in. That is magic.

[amireal.livejournal.com]

I like the "but you can read books on ipad!"

Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. Or you were meant to. Also! Direct sunlight! MORE THAN EIGHT HOUR BATTERY LIFE. THIS IS WHAT READING IS ABOUT. I blame a fundamental lack of understanding the awesomeness of reading on why this argument even exists in the first place. These people, telling me that my wonderful, shiny, amazing, ipad is meant to be an ereader, does not know the love and awesome of spending 12 hours reading, including bathroom breaks!

[fyrdrakken]

Clearly these are not people who have ever gotten bruises on their shoulder from the weight of the books they were carrying. An entire library! In my pocket! I can carry the next four books in the series with me! I can go on a two-week trip without the weight of books I'm bringing in my luggage tipping my bag over the weight limit!

[rhinemaiden.livejournal.com]

Even though the Kindle Fire sounds pretty good, I'd never trade my Nook Color for it.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

I have the K3 too, bought it in March, when my K1 (preordered back in late 2007!) died. I can't convince my 91-year-old dad to try the Kindle, but if I love the Fire, I might give mine to him and re-register it (and preload it with books).

OR I might still keep it for all the reasons it's still a wonderful ereader!

[aliciajd]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-amazon-fire-priced-10-below-cost-ihs-estimates-20110930,0,3652108.story

[fyrdrakken]

You know, I think the Keyboard 3G (no special offers) was what I was planning on getting earlier in the year, so with the Fire being only $10 more, that's reeeeeaaaalllyy tempting. Aside from the Fire not having 3G. And judging by the other models, the 3G only adds like $50. Hmm. Maybe if they have a Fire 3G by the time I'm about to actually order one...

[ahab99.livejournal.com]

I was vaguely thinking about asking for a Kindle for Christmas, but WOW, I think it's moved past the vague stage now!